Chicago-area cousins indicted in alleged terrorist plot

CHICAGO (AP) — Two suburban Chicago cousins have been indicted on charges of conspiring to help the Islamic State, with one allegedly planning to attack an Illinois military facility and the other allegedly planning to go overseas, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

Hasan Edmonds, a 22-year-old member of the Illinois Army National Guard, and his cousin, Jonas Edmonds, 29, were charged with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq. The indictment was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court. Prosecutors say the two men will be arraigned April 8.

The men, who are U.S. citizens and residents of Aurora, were represented at a previous hearing by attorneys from the federal public defender's office who were unavailable to comment Friday on the indictment.

Conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Prosecutors allege that Hasan Edmonds planned to travel abroad to join Islamic State fighters while his older cousin attacked a military installation in northern Illinois.

Hasan Edmonds was member of Golf Company 634th Brigade Support Battalion, based in Joliet, according to the Illinois National Guard Lt. Col. Brad Leighton. He reported to the Joliet base one weekend a month.

Jonas Edmonds allegedly communicated to an undercover agent that it might be difficult for him to get travel documents. Therefore, he said he would stage attacks in the U.S., prosecutors allege.